Considering buying a B7 S4

[EMN1.8]

I'm considering buying a B7 S4, please tell me about your overall experience with the car to help me get an idea of what owning one may be like. How has the car treated you in terms of maintenance and reliability? This car would most likely become my daily driver, so is the fuel economy as bad as I'm imagining? Please tell me anything and everything you can, any bit of info helps. Thanks

[Koopsdeville]

It's a love hate relationship. Love to drive it when it's running great and hate it when it gives me random issues. For instance , idle this morning was very boggy but no cel. Shut it off, turn back on and it's fine. In regards to fuel economy on a mix of city and hwy I get about 300km from full to quarter tank. If ur considering buying, buy an extended warranty thru lubrico etc. I'm so grateful that I did.

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[icanfly]

You either want to have money-to-spare, or wrenching skills.
I absolutely love my car - but I'm not afraid of jack standing it in the driveway and solving whatever problem comes my way. (did full timing service solo on jack stands for instance).

Depending on the condition of the car, you might consider some preventative maintenance just to settle your mind and drive without worry.

If you pay someone to do work on this car, it's expensive because you're paying audi shop rate or working with a non-audi specialist (not suggested). But I wouldn't waste my money and would suggest learning and doing the work yourself. There isn't anything scary on the car and enough DIY's out there that you can do pretty much anything you need without concern.

The car is a joy to own, a joy to drive and a treat to mod. I've loved the journey but am not one of those people that buys a car and expects to be able to beat on it and have it just keep running flawlessly. I expect it to break, I've done enough research to know where it's weak and where it's strong. I also know what to expect in the weak areas. I understand each fluid in the car and know when I see something on the ground how to figure out what the problem is. Power steering Fluid - Bad line or rack, Oil - Bad seal or PCV, Water/anti-freeze - water lines / radiators, brake fluid - MC or brake lines... it's not hard to love on this car but it will get pretty expensive pretty fast if you have to put it in the shop every time a little thing goes wrong.

Also, if you're buying a car - there are a few rules for shopping for an S4.
1. Know the history (if you don't it's more risky)
2. Know the milage (under 75K prepare for some services to come and maybe do some preventative maintainance)
3. listen to it at start up from cold (check oil level before starting it) if it rattles, then you learn something, if it doesn't then you learn something...
4. state of the rotors, feel of the clutch when you drive the car, how it smells when it gets to temp all tell you about the car and it's history/condition.

Hope that helps.

Have a car you're looking at?

[EMN1.8]

That's for the input, I really do appreciate it. I found a B7 S4 Avant manual with 138,000 miles on it. I would really like to have it, but with all the driving I do, I'm not sure if I can justify daily driving a V8

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[VinnysS4]

If the timing chains haven't been serviced, you could be buying a ticking time bomb. I have an 05.5 s4 with 118k. Just cracked the timing covers open and I have a broken guide. The one that "always" fails. New motor mounts, clutch, shocks and a mirad of other parts and yeah... 10 to 12k at a shop. thank God I work on my own cars....

[Erod]

I've had mine like a month, love it so far, NO maintenance history, but chains have to have been done, as I've circumstantial evidence the car was taken care of. 209k lol. 06 S4.....but out the door tax title etc...... $4000 lol

Put an exhaust on or muffler delete and you might be getting 18mpg like me, because it sounds so nice.

I'm 8 miles from PA border, got a great shop a friend owns I'd recommend, where are you near?

[jhoward]

Super fun cars to drive- can you swing this as a second car? I love mine so much, but god is it a money pit


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[icanfly]

Super fun cars to drive- can you swing this as a second car? I love mine so much, but god is it a money pit


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This is why I say 'do your own work'. I've saved at least 10K in the last 2 years by twisting my own wrenches. If you don't it's not worth it for anything over 100k unless you have funny money.

I daily my car - now that I've moved I daily it for almost 50 miles a day - it's a peach, drives like a dream (lightweight flywheel on hills requires a bit more throttle than I'd like but off the hills it rips like stink and I love every minute of it.)

Just installed my BBK (18z) and holy poop, this it how the car should have shipped from factory.
Between the 2pc rotor setup and the 6pots, I feels like I have as much braking as I do acceleration - finally.

[PSUS4]

This is my second S4. Had a B5 a few years ago. I only bought the B7 because I found one with all the common issues already addressed. The guy before me had a warranty and wasn't afraid to use it. I did all my own work on the B5 so I saved thousands. Just for a piece of mind I wouldn't buy one without the timing components updated or at a low enough price to have cash on hand if need be.


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[Velox]

After long search Found my s4 b6 with 46000 miles on it last year. Did my homework and have money set aside for timing chain work. I never planned to work on the car myself, because it doesnt seem like/ is not an easy car to work on if you have virtually no experience like me. But with the help of the internet and boards like these you really can save a lot of money doing stuff yourself. And I actually enjoy working on the car.
So far I did:
aux rad replacement
replaced all cv boots on front
rotors/pads
replaced engine/tranny mounts
snub
replaced serpentine belt/tensioner/pulley
lower control arm.
valve cover gaskets
window regulator
Coil packs
and regular maintenance etc

These were almost all necessary fixes.
And would have be quite expensive for such a low mileage car in only a couple of months ownership if I would have brought it to a garage or worse, dealership everytime.
So I agree, have enough cash set aside if you do not plan on getting your hands dirty yourself.